Liquor Mart staff back in stores over August long weekend, union says

Unionized staff who work at liquor stores throughout Manitoba will head back to work from Friday until Monday, a spokesperson from the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU) said.

"Our members recognize how important Terry Fox Day and the long weekend in general are to Manitobans and we want to ensure everyone is able to enjoy this special time with their families," MGEU president Kyle Ross said in a statement.

"So our gesture in announcing our intentions for the immediate future is to give people some ability to plan and to shop when they need to," said Ross.

MGEU employees will continue to refuse overtime work, and those working at liquor stores will not receive shipments, spokesperson John Baert said in a news release Wednesday.

Distribution centre workers and head office staff will continue to withhold services over the Terry Fox Day long weekend, Baert added. Retail workers will not be working Thursday, he said.

Liquor Mart Express outlets, which are located within grocery stores,will be closed starting Thursday at 7 a.m. until further notice, a Manitoba Liquor &Lotteriesspokesperson said Wednesday.

That's because of MGEU's refusal to receive inventory shipments and stock shelves, which has made it difficult for Liquor &Lotteries to manage inventory distribution to the remaining open locations,the spokesperson added.

"Keeping Liquor Marts open and stocked is a priority to ensure liquor products remain available to Manitobans and the two thousand, mostly small, local businesses that rely on liquor sales to support their own operations," said Gerry Sul, president of the Crown corporation, in a statement.

"MBLL is taking these measured and proportional steps to ensure we can continue providing retail liquor service to Manitobans."

The lockout at Express outlets applies to workers at the Bison Drive Liquor Mart Express, Brandon West End Liquor Mart Express, Gateway Liquor Mart Express, Reenders Liquor Mart Express, Sargent Avenue Liquor Mart Express and St. Anne's Liquor Mart Express.